The growing number of naxal incidents in Lohardaga has red flagged Jharkhand Police that left-wing rebels especially CPI (Maoist) has slowly started re-establishing its base.
This is evident from the fast that in the past 72 hours rebels executed two naxal incidents.
On Tuesday night rebels of CPI (Maoist) torched a tractor and other construction machine of a road construction company and also killed a 20 years old youth who was working as a record keeper of the company.
The incident took place at Peshrar locality under Peshrar police station of Lohardaga district. The construction company was engaged in the construction of a bridge over Onegada river about one km from the police station. Deceased was identified as Vicky Gupta who was shot dead by rebels. His body was recovered by the police on Wednesday morning.
Deceased is cousin of owner of the company Vikas Gupta.
Rebels had long been demanding levy from the contractor which he refused to pay. Last year when the company was engaged in road construction rebels had assaulted three employees of the company including Vicky who grievously injured.
Eye witnesses told the police that armed rebels took labourers on the gun point and set on fire tractor and construction equipment. They later on dragged the diseased and shot him dead. Rebels also left a leaflet on the crime spot and took responsibility of the murder. On Sunday night a 55-year old tribal Jagir Bhagat was shot dead by rebels of banned CPI (Maoist) at Mungo locality under Serengdag police station area of Lohardaga. He was murdered on mere suspicion that Bhagat is a police informer since his son Rajesh Bhagat is driver of DIG of Palamu range Rajkumar Lakra.
On October 30 in Lohardaga rebels of CPI (Maoist) had even attacked a police patrolling party. Two police personnel Upendra Singh and Anjani Kumar Pandey were injured when rebels hurled grenades and fired bullets at the police team.
The growing activity of rebels has left Jharkhand Police worried as rebels are also targeting people on the suspicion of police informers often referred as Special Police Officer (SPO). However, Jharkhand Police denies the existence of SPO.
In June, rebels had shot dead Devan Munda of Edalpiri village under Tamar police station who was learnt to have worked for Jharkhand Police as an informer. After this incident rebels had publicly threatened to eliminate SPOs.
In the same month rebels had killed a police informer Sundar Swaroop Das Mahto along with a police jawan Lahindra Munda during an anti naxal operation at Karaikela in Chaibasa.